New theatre in Almonte

The project is located on the site of an old winery in the municipality of Almonte, with the challenge of integrating and rehabilitating the existing protected buildings. The proposal organizes the complex through the insertion of two robust volumes that articulate the recovered annexed constructions to form a cultural complex of three buildings linked by a common public space. This outdoor void functions as the main public square and an important meeting area for the town.

The architectural strategy is based on contrast—between the new and the historical elements, as well as between the monumental and the human scale. The new scenic space is executed as a stone-like volume made of large precast white concrete panels (GRC), which contrasts with the small-scale brickwork of the rehabilitated annexed structures. The interior is articulated through a journey of solids and voids at different scales, utilizing natural light—both frontal and zenithal—and timber surfaces to define the character of the spaces.

Access to the main building is achieved through a large covered porch with a controlled height that serves as a high threshold prior to the lobby. This monumental scale lobby welcomes the visitor, establishing the public character of the facility. The intervention rigorously respects and maintains the different morphologies of the adjacent buildings, creating a visual dialogue between the traditional image of the warehouses and the contemporary language of the new theatre.